DARADIA:The Pain Clinic

Arthritis is a non-specific term for inflammation of joint. Inflammation is the body’s first reaction to injury. When the joint is inflamed due to some internal of external injury it is called arthritis.

In the case of joint inflammation (or arthritis) the following changes occur:
In response to injury, nonspecific immune system is activated (immune system is the body’s defense system.) It may be activated by injured tissue debris in or around the joint. Sometimes the immune system is wrongly activated without any injury.

When immune system is activated, there is increased blood flow drawing different blood cells like WBC etc. in/around the joints.

Meanwhile, a redistribution of arteriolar flow produces stasis and hypoxia at the site of injury.

The resultant localized infiltration of tissues by leukocytes, plasma proteins, and fluid causes the red, swollen, and painful lesions characteristic of inflammation.

Inflammation serves several practical purposes. The influx of leukocytes facilitates the process of phagocytosis, by which damaged cells and other particulate matter are removed from the site of injury. Pain and tenderness serve to remind the sufferer to guard and protect the damaged part, so that the process of repair may be completed without interruption.

Inflammation of a joint may be the outcome of an isolated injury, or it may be a cumulative process that occurs in response to one or more of the following conditions below.
Some of the recognized causes of inflammatory lesions are,
1. Rheumatoid Arthritis

2.Osteoarthritis or Degenerative joint disease (primary or secondary)

3.Connective tissue disease (acquired)

4.Non-articular rheumatism (tendonitis,bursitis)

5.Arthritis due to infection

6.Traumatic or neurogenic disorder

7.Neoplasm

8.Miscellaneous local or systemic disease